and allowing myself more time to turn his heart. I couldn’t have asked for a better boon.
“I’ll assist you in this hunt, in exchange for a kiss.” I met his dark blue eyes. “It must be equally as passionate as the first one. But this time, you’ll give me unrestricted access to touch you anywhere I please.”
His pupils flared so wide I saw the reflection of my unbidden smirk in them. A muscle feathered in his hard jaw, and his cravat twitched over the straining sinews in his neck.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to hear the thoughts churning in that gorgeous head.
“I agree to your terms.” Miraculously, his voice retained its unruffled smoothness. “Tell me what you know.”
“The king of libertines leases a room in New Providence. He resides in a brothel called the Garden.”
That had been true three years ago when I’d met him. Whether he’d returned to visit his pretty naked flowers during our separation was anyone’s guess. What I did know was that he wasn’t there now.
“Nassau.” Ashley’s lips thinned.
“Pirate haven.”
It was about a week’s voyage away. Considerably closer than England. From his perspective, if he turned the ship about now, he wouldn’t be backtracking too terribly far.
“What are the chances he’s there?” he asked.
“Who knows? But his doxies adore him and keep careful records of his comings and goings. I’m certain, if you licked their middle parts with the utmost severity and the greatest rigor that may be, you could coax them into sharing their innermost secrets.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You seem to know a lot about this libertine for having spent only one night with him. A night that, by your account, wasn’t given to conversation.”
“Quite true. Due to all the unnatural sexual relations.” I grinned, trying to raze his stiff demeanor.
He didn’t blink an eyelash. “Tell me how you really know Priest Farrell.”
This was the tricky part, and I would need to tread carefully. “My quartermaster is Reynolds Farrell.”
“Another Farrell?”
“Half-brother.”
His head jerked back, his eyes round with disbelief.
“I thought you knew everything, Commodore.” I took advantage of his shock and hooked a finger into the front closure of his waistcoat, relishing the pocket of body heat beneath. “Priest has a gaggle of half-blood relations.”
“This brother, your quartermaster…” He gripped my wrist but didn’t push it away. “Are they close?”
“They despise each other. But Reynolds keeps up with him.”
“When was the last time you saw Priest Farrell?”
“The night I spent with him. So that was…” I let my focus blur as if pondering the question at length. “Two years ago.”
“Thank you for the information.” He lifted my hand and softly kissed my fingers, lingering with the barest touch.
Every iota of my being gravitated toward that beautiful mouth. But distrust kept me rooted.
His warm, masculine scent surrounded me, his hand firm around mine as he regarded me closely.
The rich red waistcoat and blue frock with gold embellishments, chiseled countenance, and physique worthy of envy—he was the paragon of English nobility.
Until he licked my fingers.
His tongue, firm and hot, dipped into the valley between my knuckles, conjuring images of another slit he could have been laving with the same delectable pressure.
“You’re beautiful, Bennett.” His sensual blue eyes jumped to mine and blinked. “I’ve never said those words to a woman. Never thought to say them until I saw you.”
A sound rose in my throat, one of startled disbelief and abject need. His kisses traveled to my thumb, and he wrapped his supple lips fully around it. I fell into paradise with my mouth open.
His free hand clutched my head beneath the rim of the hat, and he pulled me into him, trapping my knuckle with his teeth. He didn’t bite, but he looked as though he wanted to desperately.
He owed me a real kiss, and his hooded eyes told me he was thinking of it. Loosening the clamp of his jaw, he released my thumb. His face drifted closer, his head ducking until his hat bumped mine.
The hand on my head began a slow caress, firm fingers stroking the base of my braid, holding me still, making me wait with shortening breaths. He erased another inch until nothing remained but his mouth and his strength restraining me so close, so exquisitely captive.
His gaze flitted to my lips, adding extra beats to my heart. Then his eyes drifted over my shoulder, snagging on the wall behind me.
I knew exactly where his focus went. I felt Priest’s sketched eyes staring at my back. He didn’t even need to be